Give Me One More Shot

4 months. Wow--has it been that long? And no, I'm not talking about since I've updated my blog, but rest assured that there is at least some amount of self-inflicted guilt for not having updated it. As soon as I felt myself slipping, I tried to make mental note of everything that I need to write about. As time kept ticking, I knew that it would take longer and longer to fully try and summarize the time gap. Anyway, I guess I'll start with this, and fill in other stuff as I go along. Better plug the blogging hole sometime, right?

Today is March 21--4 months since little Nicholas came into our lives. Anybody with a little one (or a good recollection of their child's first year) knows that 4 months is a 'milestone' of sorts--a visit to the doctor for checkup and shots.

Leah took Nicholas to his first 'real' appointment, which was the first round of shots. She described the blood-curdling cry, and how much it affected her (to the point of tears) that there really wasn't anything that she could do to comfort him at that very instant. Both of us were with Nicholas this time, so I guess this was my initiation into parenthood at the hands of a nurse and 4 syringes.

First of all, you have the growth measurements. Head size, weight, and length (aka height, but I guess you only use that terminology if the measuree can stand up). Head size is in the 50th percentile, weight (13 lbs, 12 oz) is in the 25th percentile, and his height, er, length (24 1/4 in) is in the 50th percentile. All of these are perfectly OK and normal. At this point in the game, as long as they're growing, it's cool; there isn't really any "he's a little chubby--lay off the formula a little bit" type of thing.

We also had some concerns about a small amount of irritiation that Nicholas seems to be getting under his chin, on his chest, and even in his diaper area. Dr. Scott asked all the normal stuff about allergies, what detergent we're using, and all of that. Nicholas has been drooling a lot more in recent weeks, so we just hoped it was some sort of heat rash that is exacerbated by the moisture of his clothes after he soaks them real good with slobber. Dr. Scott suggested one of several different types of moisturizing creams/ointments, and even suggested a change in formula--apparently there are elements to the Enfamil Lipil that we're on now that aren't present in the Nestle GoodStart. Being that we just dropped $30 at Sam's for a big can of formula, we're gonna try the other remedies while we're finishing up the formula that we already have. Obviously this sort of stuff is simply an educated guess, and these treatments are admittedly an agressive way to stop the skin irritation.

On to the shots. I guess somewhere along the way, the nurses realize that waiting until the very end of the appointment was the best and only way to do it. After getting shown to the exam room, the nurse came in first to do the aforementioned measurements. Then we waited for Dr. Scott. He did his thing, asked his questions, made his notes, and said, "See ya next time." Then came the nurse, once again, holding an open palm with 4 syringes. All of this time, Nicholas had been AWESOME, especially given the amount of time that we had to wait to see Dr. Scott. He laid on the table and kicked, talked, cooed, laughed (in his 4-month old way), looked in the mirror, etc. He was beginning to get a bit fussy, so we fixed a small bottle, which he was starting on when the nurse walked in. I had to flip him around so that this legs were pointed the other way (i.e., toward the nurse) and she swabbed his thighs with alcohol or whatever. I was holding his arms and happened to be glancing at his legs when she stuck him with the first needle. Honest to god, I've never ever heard my son cry that hard. Ever. What struck me, I guess, was the fact that this seemingly long needle disappeared completely into his leg. I guess that's just standard shot-giving technique, but it seemed like an awfully long needle to be going completely into his small little leg. Two sticks in one leg......and two sticks in the other leg. Nicholas's entire face and head were blood-red, and he was crying and exhaling so much, there was this long pause before he inhaled again. It just seems so cruel, you know. But I know it's very, very necessary. You know, when he's 2 or 3 or 7, you can explain what's going on. And tell him that it's so he won't get very sick. And even though it may hurt a little, at least he'll be expecting it. With this, it's entirely different. He's laying on the table, very content. Sucking a bottle, which we gently take out of his mouth. And he's stuck 4 consecutive times and probably experiences more pain that what he's ever felt before. I know it won't traumatize him. I know he won't remember it. I know he won't call the authorities and accuse us of abuse. And I know that situations like this are only the beginning. But it was very, very tough seeing him that upset. Tough love is only gonna get tougher, I'm sure.